Kevin McKeethan was chosen as EKU’s tight ends coach and co-special teams coordinator in February 2020.
In his third season at EKU, the Colonels ranked second nationally in punt return average (21.6) and sixth in kickoff return average (26.1). Running back Braedon Sloan ranked fourth in the nation with a 30.2 kickoff return average and was named a HERO Sports Sophomore All-American as an all-purpose player.
EKU's tight ends combined for 632 yards on 51 catches and four receiving touchdowns in 2022 and Dakota Allen earned All-ASUN honors.
In 2021, EKU ranked second nationally in kickoff return yardage, averaging 27.5 yards per return. Cornerback Davion Ross ranked 13th in average kickoff return yards and 24th in total kickoff return yards. Kicker Patrick Nations was named the ASUN Special Teams Player of the Year and a HERO Sports Freshman All-American after leading the ASUN in field-goal accuracy (75.0 percent), making 12 of his 16 field goals and all 34 extra-point attempts.
Allen led the Colonels with five touchdown receptions and closed the season with seven catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the Opportunity Bowl win over Jacksonville State.
In his first season, McKeethan helped the offense conclude the fall third in the nation in passing offense (247.4 yards per game) and fourth in the country in total offense (376.4 yards per game). The Colonels ran up a season-high 590 yards of offense against Western Carolina in the 2020 Opportunity Bowl. The unit totaled 400 yards or more of offense in six of the final seven games of the season.
“I met Kevin at New Mexico State where he was in charge of recruiting, special teams and tight ends, and had the opportunity to work with him again at Tennessee,” Head Coach Walt Wells said. “Kevin is a tireless worker. He is passionate about the game and the student-athletes. He does a great job working with our special teams and tight ends. I’m very happy to have Kevin here at EKU.”
McKeethan served as the quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator at Carson Newman University during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He tutored a two-time all-conference quarterback while also recruiting Florida, middle Georgia and Tennessee.
During the 2017 season, McKeethan was a special teams analyst at the University of Tennessee. With his aid, the Volunteers ranked second in the nation in net punting and punter Trevor Daniel was second in the country in yards per punt. He was elevated to the ninth assistant coaching position for the final two games of the season.
McKeethan spent the spring of 2017 on the staff at Charleston Southern University where he served as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.
From 2012 to 2016, McKeethan served in a variety of roles at New Mexico State University. He was a graduate assistant coach with the quarterbacks during the 2012 season. From 2013 to 2016, he was the wide receivers and tight ends coach. During his final two seasons, McKeethan added passing game coordinator to his duties. In 2015 New Mexico State ranked third in the Sun Belt Conference in passing offense, third in total offense and fifth in scoring. Running back Larry Rose III earned third team All-America honors and was chosen as the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year. In 2016 the Aggies were third in the league in total offense, fourth in passing and fifth in rushing.
McKeethan was also the recruiting coordinator at New Mexico State. The 2017 recruiting class ranked third in the Sun Belt. The 2015, 2016 and 2017 recruiting classes produced 23 all-conference selections, two All-America selections, one NFL Draft pick and six NFL signees.
During the 2011 season, McKeethan was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Greensboro College. He was a graduate assistant and offensive quality control assistant at Kent State from June 2007 to July 2011 where he worked with quarterback Julian Edelman who is now a receiver for the New England Patriots. McKeethan also coached at Oak Ridge High School and Maryville College.
McKeethan earned a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics teaching from Maryville College in 2007 and a master’s of arts in sport and recreational management from Kent State in 2010. He was a two-year letter winner at quarterback at Maryville and earned four letters as a member of the baseball team.
